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APRIL 23-29, 2026
Moore Township Elementary team Wins STEM Challenge, Advances to states
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Northampton School Board draws Closer to budget deadline, still Maintains deficit
By KERI LINDENMUTH The Northampton School Board continues to look for avenues to reduce a multi-million dollar budget deficit for the 2026-27 school year, as the budget deadline to the state draws nearer. During their April 13 meeting, Business Administrator Craig Neiman presented another round of budget options that would decrease the deficit from $9.3 million to $1.1 million.
However, the severity of these budget cuts differs drastically, from the total elimination of all student activities and community programs to the elimination of student devices. Six budget plans were presented to the board, five from the administrative team and one from the board’s Finance Committee. Option One eliminates 30 positions, Chromebooks for kindergartners, library funding and community programs and raises
taxes the maximum amount of 4.2%, bringing the deficit down to $2.5 million. Option Two largely follows Option One but allows the transfer of $1 million to the district’s capital budget for maintenance and building improvements, bringing the deficit down to $3.5 million. Option Three follows Option Two, while also eliminating all Continued on page 7
Liquor license for Route 329 Wawa approved From left to right: First Place STEM Design Challenge winners Blaise Derhammer, Aiden Schaffer and Caroline Mann. By SAVANNAH BROWN A team of students from Moore Township Elementary School earned first place at the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 regional STEM Design Challenge and advanced to the state competition. Blaise Derhammer, Aiden Schaffer and Caroline Mann won the regional event with their project, “Eco-Steel Recycling,” and will compete May 8 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. The trio designed and constructed a prototype of a sustainable steel production system inspired by the former Bethlehem Steel facility. Using K’Nex mate-
rials, the students created a working model of a factory section that collected scrap steel, melted it down and rolled it into reusable steel sheets. Their design incorporated several environmentally conscious features required by the competition. The prototype included a conveyor belt powered by a water wheel placed in the Lehigh River to transport scrap steel from other parts of the factory. It also featured an electric arc furnace to heat the steel, a carbon capture system to reduce emissions, a cold roller system to form the Continued on page 2
By KERI LINDENMUTH During their meeting on April 14, the Allen Township Board of Supervisors approved the transfer of a restaurant liquor license to the future Wawa convenience store at Route 329 and Savage Road. The decision was made following a brief hearing in which attorney Ellen Freeman, of KrugerHenry (formerly Flaherty & O’Hara PC), outlined the planned use of the license. Wawa operates 44 stores in Pennsylvania with a liquor license, and has no strikes for sales to minors or intoxicated persons, Freeman said. “[This is] largely to do with safety policies and procedures,” she explained. Wawa requires all associates to go through training and follow a
100% carding policy. The convenience store will have seating for 30 patrons, as required by the license. However, Freeman anticipates that most beer sales will be to-go. Customers can purchase two six-packs in a single transaction or consume one 12-ounce beer on-site. No beer may be consumed in the parking lot or outside the store’s seating area. All seating is in view of the registers. While the license allows for the sale of wine and canned cocktails, Freeman said Wawa will open with just beer sales. Sales will be restricted to Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. “Wawa has to maintain that Continued on page 2
Nazareth Musical, Page 10
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